NEW 3:55 p.m. BLOOMINGTON - Luis Alberto of Bloomington knows first-hand that having a diploma makes a difference in getting a job. But even with a General Educational Development (GED), it's a challenge to support his family and prevent looming foreclosure of his home.

After a ceremony Friday, another 156 GED (also known as general equivalency diploma) graduates from the DeWitt, Livingston and McLean Regional Office of Education program will have a tool for the future as they begin their journey, school administrators say.

The graduates range from young learners to a grandmother who took almost 10 years to finish. Some have lived here for generations; others are immigrants who may have first learned English as a second language.

Alberto, an aviation mechanic in Mexico, studied English first and earned his high school equivalency in 2000.

"It's an excellent idea to get as much training as possible, and to continue to study to get more opportunities," he said.

His wife, Odemaris, works as a cashier and payroll secretary to help support their young child. She wants an economics degree to get a single job that would pay enough to stave the threat of foreclosure.

Luis Alberto, 45, recently lost his job as a security guard, but drives a summer bus route for Heartland Head Start. He's also worked various customer service jobs.

He said he couldn't have gotten work without the equivalency degree. "It takes lots of patience," he said.

Looking for a better life

Most of the recent GED graduates are looking for a better life and a job.

Bess Desch, a program counselor who started teaching the free diploma equivalency program 28 years ago, has seen the students' ages drop. When she started, she says, the majority were in the late 20s, 30s and 40s.

"It seems this year a tremendous amount of younger students are taking GED classes here and across the state," added adult education director Libby Smith.

Many are disillusioned with traditional high school programs, and hope an equivalency program will help them finish quickly and get into the workforce faster.

"Some younger learners seem to see it as a destination," Smith said of a diploma. "We don't see this as an end of the educational journey."

The jobless rate among those without a high school diploma or equivalency is 12.6 percent; it's 8.3 percent for those with a diploma. That difference motivates people to get more education in tougher economies, Desch said.

Like her brother, Margarita Alberto improved her English and got a GED shortly after moving from Mexico.

Her motivation? Ordering "soap" instead of "soup" at a restaurant.

Margarita Alberto now is a data manager at the regional office. She encourages others to take advantage of opportunities.

"Give it a chance," she said.